The Tea Book

Hardcover | July 7, 2015

Pricing and Purchase Info

about

The Tea Book helps you explore the blends, tastings, and ceremonies from around the world and create your own delicious tea traditions.

Where does tea come from? In The Tea Book learn where in the world tea is cultivated and how to drink each variety at its best, with steeping notes and step-by-step recipes.

The Tea Book is your world tour of the art of tea. Visit tea plantations from India to Kenya and explore maps of the world's most important growing regions. Learn to recognize tea-leaf varietals and spot the best types from each region. Recreate a Japanese tea ceremony with a guide to storied traditions and practical implements. Discover the health benefits of green tea. Craft the perfect Chai tea. Try a tasting course to cultivate your sense of tea color, aroma, and taste. Explore the spectrum of herbal, plant, and fruit infusions. The Tea Book covers it all, including history, tradition, and 75 classic and contemporary recipes to steep and share.

Educational/Developmental Value:

Durability:

Hours of Play:

Thank you. Your review has been submitted and will appear here shortly.

Reviews

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Paige_Turnor from
The World of TeaSuch a great book for tea lovers of all levels. Pretty pictures, great recipes and packed full of so much useful information about tea. Great for beginnings all the way up to experienced tea drinkers.

Date published: 2017-03-16

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Erika from
DK at it's finestI love DK books, they always contain lots of vivid photography with the exactly about of information needed. The tea book is no exception. I learned so much about my favourite drink! The book also includes some interesting recipes.

Date published: 2016-12-04

Rated 5 out of
5 by
19phoenix from
Everything you ever wanted to know about teaThe book covers the different types of tea, history, different ways to brew, recipes and lots more info

Date published: 2016-11-14

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Luanne_Ollivier from
ExcellentI've been drinking tea as long as I remember. Some of my fondest memories are having tea parties with my grandmothers when I was young. We used a tiny china tea set (that I still have) and very milky tea! I'm still a tea lover and drinker to this day.
DK Canada has a great Food and Drink Boutique with a selection of food and beverage titles for the foodie in your life. One of their newest titles - The Tea Book by Linda Gaylard - definitely caught my eye!
Gaylard is a tea sommelier - " the tea sommelier has the challenging task of convincing tea drinkers that there is much more to tea than a mug and a tea bag. Beyond the bag there is mystery, history, travel, industry, culture and ceremony: a whole new world to explore."
I have tried some loose teas, but I do generally use the same brand of bag and a mug, so I was up for learning something new and venturing beyond my usual fare.
Gaylard's book starts literally from the ground up, detailing the anatomy of a tea plant, the growth and harvest. (From seed to plant ready for plucking can take 5 to 7 years) I truly had never thought to consider the process of plant to cup before - up to nine processes! I drink quite a bit of tea - and am happy to report there are quite a few health benefits to tea, including stress relief and higher bone density. Who knew? Herbal teas have long been known to have medicinal properties. Gaylard has included a 'wheel of wellness' - matching an ailment (headache, cough etc) along with a tea that might help.
I loved this fact - tea bags were an accidental invention. In 1908 a tea merchant sent his clients samples in a silk drawstring bag. They clients brewed the tea in the bags instead of removing the leaves. And tea bags were born! I've discovered while travelling in the US to say 'hot tea' - which is sometimes met with puzzled looks. This stat explains those looks - "80% of tea consumed in the United States is in the form of iced tea."
Brewing and infusing techniques, including equipment such as infusers, water temp, type of water, infusion time and measured amounts to use are covered in meticulous detail, accompanied by charts, coloured pictures and drawings.
Just as tea with my grandmother was an occasion, so is it across many cultures. Gaylard explore ceremonies and traditions in numerous countries. (The British afternoon tea was familiar and a favourite)
A large chapter on tea recipes was an unexpected bonus! There are cold, hot and alcoholic tea recipes, using all types of tea. How about making your own bubble tea?
The Tea Book is a complete, comprehensive guide to the world of tea from start to finish - seed to sipping. Gaylard knows her tea - and I now know a lot more. And I think I'm ready to supplement my bag and mug with some loose tea! The Tea Book is another great reference book from DK - filled with great clear, concise information, complemented by colour photos and drawings.